Emmy Awards 2011 Preview – Which Shows Picked Up the Most Nominations?

It’s Emmy time! The TV awards presentation is set for next Sunday, September 18th, and all the big shows will be represented. Here are the series that garnered the most nominations in 2011:

'30 Rock'

13 nominations

This comedy about life behind the scenes of an NBC sketch show is no stranger to the Emmys — it won Best Comedy Series three years in a row, with its streak interrupted only by 'Modern Family’s' win last year. It’s up for the big prize again this year, plus Actor in a Comedy Series (Alec Baldwin), Best Actress in a Comedy Series (Tina Fey) and a slew of other nods.

'Game of Thrones'

13 nominations

HBO’s freshman medieval fantasy — based on the 'A Song of Fire and Ice' book series — is highly acclaimed by both critics and fans, and though it only picked up two major nods (Best Drama Series and Peter Dinklage for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series), it was also named in categories like Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series.

'Modern Family'

17 nominations

With the most nods of any comedy series, the mockumentary-style sitcom follows the lives of three very modern families in suburban Los Angeles. In addition to Best Comedy Series, the show almost swept the category of Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O’Neill and Eric Stonestreet), and also got two noms for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara).

'Boardwalk Empire'

18 nominations

Another new HBO series adapted from a book (a nonfiction tome of the same name) follows the Prohibition era in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The first episode alone cost $18 million (the most expensive pilot in TV history), and was directed by Martin Scorsese. Notable nominations include Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series (Steve Buscemi) and Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Kelly Macdonald).

'Mad Men'

19 nominations

In its fourth year, the AMC period series about advertising firms in the ‘60s picked up more nominations than any other show. Look for 'Men' in all of the most notable categories: Best Drama Series, Best Actress in a Drama Series (Elisabeth Moss), Best Actor in a Drama Series (John Hamm), Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (John Slattery) and Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Christina Hendricks).